Legends Lunch

MEET TOM BERENGER

ACTOR

Tom Berenger is an actor who’s worked in blockbuster Hollywood movies, soap operas and TV miniseries. He had a starring role as lawyer Tim Siegel on One Life to Live and appeared in films including “Platoon,” “Rush It,” “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” “In Praise of Older Women,” “Butch and Sundance: The Early Days,” “The Big Chill,” “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Major League,” “Born on the Fourth of July,” “Chasers,” “Gettysburg,” “Training Day,” “Inception” and many others. In 1986, he received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Staff Sergeant Barnes in Platoon (this performance won him a Golden Globe Award for "Best Supporting Actor"). A role for which he has become well known for is Thomas Beckett, the main character in the mid-1990s film “Sniper,” which would later be followed by four sequels, featuring Berenger in the starring role for three. Berenger stars with Keith David, Gina Gershon, Penelope Ann Miller, Jeff Fahey, and Bruce Dern in the film "AMERICAN DRESSER,” directed by Carmine Cagialosi.

MEET SEAN MCNABB

MUSICIAN & ACTOR

Sean McNabb is an American actor, musician/bassist and singer. While still on tour with rock bands, he is also acting and writing, composing, and singing music for TV and film. In 2015, he released his first solo music as a lead singer, ‘Fresh Air’ and ‘America.’ Both are also featured in the film ‘Rockstory.’

McNabb was born in South Bend, Indiana. At age 21, he became the bass player of the 1980s metal band Quiet Riot, replacing Chuck Wright.

McNabb joined Dokken as their bassist in 2009 and was a mainstay with the band until 2014. He has recorded over 35 CDs in his discography. He has also toured and recorded with House of Lords (where he again replaced Wright), Great White, Lynch Mob, Montrose, Queensrÿche, Jack Wagner, Don Felder, Edgar Winter, Maya, Bad Moon Rising, Rough Cutt, Burning Rain, and XYZ. 

In addition to music, he is acting in Hollywood in film and television and has twenty credits on IMDB. Of note, he appeared on FX TV's Sons of Anarchy and as host of Best of AXS TV Concerts 2012 - Legends of Rock. He starred along TV and Broadway greats in Los Angeles plays. He has appeared in films, TV and in commercials. He was on the cover, and was profiled, by the Beverly Hills Times as a rising star in the world of acting.

MEET DEE SNIDER

TWISTED SISTER

Dee Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality and actor most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister. He has been ranked 83 in the Hit Parader’s Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time. He joined Twisted Sister in 1976, helping bring the world hits such as “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock.”

He has also been a television personality, hosting Heavy Metal Mania on MTV in the ‘80s and later, with his wife and family, on reality show Growing Up Twisted on A&E.

After Twisted Sister disbanded in 1986, Dee made his way into film, writing and starring in his big-screen debut, Strangeland, in 1998, followed shortly thereafter by Strangeland 2: Cult of Personality. After wrapping the film, he took to making appearances on TV shows, including a cameo in an episode of The Drew Care Show, KISS Loves You, and Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey.

In 1997, Snider began hosting The House of Hair, a syndicated 1980s hard rock/heavy metal radio show that has continued to air to this day on over 200 radio stations across North America.

In addition to his radio show, Dee has an active solo music career. His most recent album “For the Love of Metal” was released in 2018 and produced such metal masterpieces as  “For The Love of Metal,” “I am The Hurricane,” “Tomorrow’s No Concern” and many more.

MEET PAUL TEUTUL JR.

BIKE BUILDER & TELEVISION PERSONALITY

Motorcycle master Paul Teutul Jr. has been molding metal into shape since the age of 12, when he began his apprenticeship at his father’s steel business. He’s widely recognized as the chief designer and fabricator of some of the world’s most famous motorcycles, as featured in the hit television series American Chopper on the Discovery Channel.

Although Paul Jr. started his career as cofounder of Orange County Choppers, after branching off, he now shares his creativity and unique approach to design with the world through his work at Paul Jr. Designs. Founded in 2010, his new company pushes the limits on creativity beyond just motorcycles, where Paul continues to pursue his passion for building the impossible.

MEET RUSTY WALLACE

NASCAR LEGENDS & WINSTON CUP CHAMPION

One of NASCAR's most well-known and charismatic personalities, Rusty Wallace, Jr. was the 1984 NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year, the 1989 Winston Cup champion and is a member of four of stock car racing's major halls of fame: the NASCAR Hall of Fame (2013), the International Motorsports Hall of Fame (2013), the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2014) and the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame (2010).

MEET DON “THE SNAKE” PRUDHOMME

DRAG RACING LEGEND

One of the most famous names in drag racing, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, has won four consecutive NHRA series titles, won the prestigious U.S. Nationals seven times, was the first Funny Car driver to break the 250-mph mark (250.00 mph), was the first to post an elapsed time under 5.20 seconds (5.193), became the first driver to win seven of eight national events in one season (1976), was the first NHRA Winston World Champion (1975), and became the first driver to win the U.S. Nationals and Winternationals in the same season (1965). At age 51, he became the third Top Fuel driver to pass the 300-mph mark (301.60) in 1993.

MEET WALKER “THE LEGEND” EVANS

OFF-ROAD RACING HALL OF FAME

Walker “The Legend” Evan is one of the most accomplished competitors in the sport of off-road racing and is an Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame driver. Throughout his 30-year racing career, he has racked up 142 victories and 21 championship titles, including winning the Baja 1000 nine times, the first in history to win that grueling race overall in a truck. He’s also won races like the Mint 400, the Baja 500, the Parker 400 and the Fireworks 250.

MEET JOHN PAUL DEJORIA

BILLIONAIRE ENTREPRENEUR, PHILANTHROPIST, LIFE-LONG BIKER

John Paul DeJoria is a first-generation American entrepreneur, philanthropist, life-long biker and pillar of the business community. He has struggled against the odds not only to achieve success, but to share his success with others, always living his motto: “Success unshared is failure.”

DeJoria overcame poverty and homelessness, parlaying $700 into a $3.5 billion fortune. Co-founder of Paul Mitchell hair care products and Patrón Tequila, he went from sleeping in cars to owning a luxury train car. He has appeared on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” exchanged ideas on world peace with the Dalai Lama and trained the FBI on the culture of change. He has been honored for his philanthropic and humanitarian efforts with numerous awards for his work supporting the homeless, renewable energy, sustainability, disadvantaged youth and human rights. He also holds a seat on the New York Stock Exchange. As a steward of the planet John Paul is always trying to help his fellow man. With this in mind John Paul has launched two new companies, ROK and Aubio, which he feels will improve the lives of many people.

In 2011, John Paul signed Bill Gates and Warren Buffet’s “The Giving Pledge” as a formal promise to continue giving back. The same year, he established JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation as a hub for his charitable investments, which support the core values of his companies: sustainability, social responsibility and animal friendliness.

MEET PAT SIMMONS

THE DOOBIE BROTHERS

Pat Simmons is a musician most well known for being a member of the rock band The Doobie Brothers. Pat remains the band’s only consistent member and has been throughout the band’s existence. He wrote many songs for the band including “South City Midnight Lady,” “Dependin’ On You,” “Echoes of Love” and “Black Water.” When Pat decided to leave the group in 1982, the band temporarily disbanded and he released his first solo album, Arcade. While taking a break from the Doobie Brothers, he formed the band Skin Suit and released a second solo album in 1998, “Take Me to the Highway.” Pat Simmons and the rest of the Doobie Brothers have been a mainstay to the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s annual Motorcycle and Music Festival, having performed in 1991, 1995, 2010 and 2013.

MEET CRIS SOMMER SIMMONS

MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAMER

Cris has enjoyed a lifetime love affair with two wheels. An eager passenger on her stepfather’s motorcycle at age 9, she got her first motorcycle (a Yamaha Twin jet 100) at 14, her first Harley at age 19 and has been riding ever since.  She was a longtime member of the Women’s International Motorcycle Association and in 1984, co-founded the 2^nd Chapter of Women in the Wind. In 1985 Cris co-founded the world’s first motorcycle magazine for women called Harley Women. For over 5 years she acted as co-publisher and editor, often riding her motorcycle across the country to find the stories. On one such ride in 1989 she met her husband-to-be, rocker and fellow motorcycle enthusiast, Doobie Brother Patrick Simmons.

For several years starting in the late ‘80s Cris appeared in countless national newspaper articles, radio and television talk shows as a representative and advocate of the growing number of women who rode their own motorcycles. In 1988, she was awarded an Honorary Lifetime membership to Women in The Wind. Cris is a 25 year AMA member, a Lifetime HOG member as well as a Motor Maid and a member of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America. In 1990, she was honored as a pioneering woman motorcyclist in the American Motorcycle Associations’ Women In Motorcycling exhibit.

After selling her interest in Harley Women, Cris began a 15-year stint as a freelance motorcycle journalist, writing extensively for several magazines in the U.S., including American Iron, Motorcycle Collector, Iron Works, Easyriders, V-Twin, as well as magazines in Japan, Spain and in Australia.  Cris penned her own column for over 12 years in the popular Japanese Harley magazine Hot Bike Japan and is currently the women’s editor for American Iron magazine. She also speaks about women in motorcycling at events around the country.

In 1994, Cris wrote and self-published the award winning children’s motorcycle book Patrick Wants to Ride, for which she was honored with the AMA’s Brighter Image MVP Award.

Then, in 1995, Cris was one of 4 women featured in an original documentary on women motorcyclists for Turner Broadcasting called Biker Women.

In 2003, she was proud to be inducted into the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Anamosa Iowa and the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Westerville, Ohio. In 2008 she was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

In July of 2009, she released the popular book ‘The American Motorcycle Girls 1900-1950” (which is still one of the top selling motorcycle history books.).  Later that year Cycle Source Magazine named Cris the “Motorcycling Woman of the Year” for 2009.  

In Sept. of 2010, Cris rode her 1915 Harley-Davidson, Effie, 3,200 miles in the pre-1916 motorcycle cross country Motorcycle Cannonball. The grueling 16-day endurance ride started in Kitty Hawk, NC and ended up in Santa Monica, CA. Out of the 45 riders entered, she was one of only two women registered, and the only American woman rider. She made it all the way to Santa Monica and took 20^th place.

In March of 2011, Cris released The Cannonball Diary, a book about her journey riding Effie across the country.

In the Fall of 2013 Cris and her husband Pat rode their 1914 and 1915 Harley-Davidsons 1,000 miles from Sturgis, SD to Milwaukee, WI to celebrate the 110^th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson.

In 2014 the pair also rode the 4,100 mile pre-1937 Motorcycle Cannonball on their 1934 and 1929 Harley-Davidsons. Again in 2016, they both rode the Motorcycle Cannonball again, on their 1914 and 1915 H-Ds from Atlantic City, NJ to San Diego, CA.  The pair are also looking forward to the 2018 Motorcycle Cannonball, (on the same early bikes), riding from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon.

MEET CARMINE CANGIALOSI

WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/ACTOR

Carmine Cangialosi has worked on a number of television shows such as "Law & Order", "One Life to Live", "Rescue Me", and "Blue Bloods" to name a few. Soon after relocating to Los Angeles, CA he was quickly represented by UTA (United Talent Agency). But it was a trip to Sundance Film Festival when he decided to write/direct/produce/act in his first film "The Beach House" (feature/comedy). The result was an official selection to Stony Brook Film Festival followed by an Audience Choice Award. That lead him to write/direct/produce/act in his next film "Take It Easy Bob" (short/thriller). Both films became official selections of the South Hampton Film Festival as well as the Long Island International Film Expo. Film Expo President Debra Markowitz saluted him at the award ceremony for his uniquely cool vision. Since then, "The Beach House" has been sold and Mr. Cangialosi established his production company "Go With The Flo Films". As "Go With The Flo Films" develops diverse material, Mr. Cangialosi is currently collaborating with Billy Joel and Billy Gibbons on his latest film "AMERICAN DRESSER" starring Tom Berenger, Keith David, Gina Gershon, Penelope Ann Miller, Jeff Fahey, and Bruce Dern. Scheduled for release Summer 2017.